God’s greatest gift to man was to send His Son as the exclusive mediator between God and man. The only ground from which our righteous God does anything for mankind is because of the gift of His unique Son.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. He that believes on Him is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:16,17).
These matchless and beautiful verses of love and warning are among the most familiar verses in the Bible and are recognized by people of every nation as transcendent over the greatest utterances ever made by all human beings. It is astonishing and beyond human comprehension that this statement from God was made while we were without strength and did not know Him.
“But God commended His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
This gracious offer is to all but is effectual only to … “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name” (John 1:12). To those who receive the Son as a gift from God, God gives all that is needed for His entrance into heaven.
“He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? (Romans 8:32).
The reality of the fact that the Son was delivered up is of infinite and perfect value to everyone who receives Him, as all things are given and received from Him, by Him, through Him, and in Him. The “all things” include every possible thing that the believer, in spiritual warfare, might require under every conceivable condition. It is nothing less than God’s perfect provision for the one who has received the Son. This includes the protective provision (guarantee) against being lost. Several things are specifically mentioned in God’s word as gifts. Three will be identified here:
1) Eternal life. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
2) The Holy Spirit. “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).
3) Righteousness. “For if by one man’s offense death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. Therefore, as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life” (Romans 5:17,18).
When an individual has received the Son of God as Savior, He is in possession of the gift of eternal life because he is indwelt by the Savior who is eternal life and who imputes to him His perfect life and absolute righteousness. The Holy Spirit immediately regenerates, indwells, seals, fills, and imputes at least one or more spiritual gifts. Nothing can separate the believer from this eternal union and, in addition, the spirit guides, comforts, protects, and becomes the believer’s Teacher.
“When the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide you into all truth; for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will show you things to come” (John 16:13).
Jesus declared, “I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever… for He dwells with you and shall be in you. At that day you shall; know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you” (John 14:16,17b, 20).
The one who believes in the Son possesses eternal life and with Him all these other previously mentioned gifts that accompany salvation. This person can say on the authority of the word of God… they are saved. Those who teach that a saved person can be lost of necessity teach that the things that accompany salvation can also be lost. They insist God gives and then takes back to Himself that which He has given, or that the Holy Spirit will depart from one who has received Christ as personal Savior. These are fallacious words from man and do not come from a righteous and eternal God who gives eternal life. What is the response from God’s written word? “The gifts… of God are without repentance” (Romans 11:29).
God declares that He does not repent (change His mind) having given a gift, it is contradicting Him and making Him a liar to say that He takes His gifts back. NO! One who has received, as a free gift from God, first His Son and with Him righteousness, eternal life, the Holy Spirit, and all other things, will always have these gifts throughout eternity and is eternally secure. Never the less there are some who prefer to use reason rather than accept the finality of God’s Holy Word. They reason: “Oh yes, God does not take back His gifts, but a person can throw them away.” They search in vain for scriptural validation to support this erroneous and contradictory position.
The word of God declares that the Holy Spirit abides forever “And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another comforter, that He may abide with you forever” (John 14:16).
Is it possible to cast away the powerful work of the Holy Spirit? NO, the gift of righteousness is a matter of God’s enabling. No one can take from God that which He holds in His hands. “And being fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He was able also to perform. And therefore, it was imputed to him for righteousness” (Romans 4:21,22). What is imputed is from God. What He has imputed is the righteousness He requires for entrance into Heaven. To believe in Christ for salvation is to have the perfect righteousness that His righteousness requires Him to require. The righteousness He requires is perfected forever in Christ Jesus and must be imputed from Him to the believer at the point of salvation or upon personal belief in Christ.
“For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be MADE the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
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It is abundantly clear from this verse of truth that man cannot produce or make his own righteousness… that is impossible, as he is unrighteous from birth and can only produce from his personal and imperfect righteousness nothing but filthy rags. Here is a description of the religious man who does not want to hear or believe God’s message of absolute truth. “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities like the wind, have taken us away. And there is none that call upon His name, or stirs up himself to take hold of Him for He has hid His face from us, and has consumed us, because of our iniquities” (Isaiah 64: 6,7).
God’s word is clear! His reaches out, and His hand is not shortened, but there is a damning separation between unbelieving and scoffing man and an impeccable holy and righteous God. Carefully meditate on this scripture that does not limit God, but warns man regarding the reason he will not hear their cry. “Behold the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you, that he will not hear” (Isaiah 59:1,2).
It is not God who casts man away! It is man that refuses to trust in Him and in so doing limits Him to answer his cry for mercy. “Yes, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel. They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy” (Psalm 78:41,42).
I pose to you a simple question: Can eternal life from God to man be thrown away so that what God has accomplished is nullified by man? Does man have access into the Holy records of God so he can alter, amend, or change what is eternally written? Can eternal life that has been extended to man as a gift from God be thrown away? Man can throw away his physical life by committing suicide. But man’s physical life is not eternal… it is mortal. Can suicide be committed and, in an instant, destroy a life given by God that is eternal? Temporal man cannot affect that which is eternal. Only an eternal God can affect that which is eternal. Temporal man can only address things that perish with use. God has given infinite gifts to men that have been earlier addressed, and it was seen that these gifts are to be used to the praise and glory of His grace. Therefore, it becomes fitting to pause and say…“Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15).
There are no thanks to be given to God by teaching that HE takes His gifts back or that they can be withdrawn or thrown away. Therefore, the great doctrine of eternal security is inseparably related to the scriptural teachings concerning the gift of the Son of God who is our life. “And this is the record, that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life; and he that has not the Son of God has not life” (1 John 5:11,12).
“If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that hears my word, and believes on Him that sent me, has everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24).
“He that believes on the Son has everlasting life: and he that believes not on the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abides on him” (John 3:36).
“The fool has said in his heart there is no God” (Psalm 14: 1a)
Please notice the inner darkness of a mind that exhales the ignorance and unbelief that enables him to spew forth such damnable wickedness and despite to the Lord God of the ages. “They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that does good. The LORD looked down from Heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are ALL gone aside, they are ALL together become filthy: there is none that does good, no not one” (Psalm 14: 1b, 2,3).
Man may smugly say, “so what, I don’t believe in God, and I will take my chances that in the end, if He exists, He will have mercy on me and will be forgiving.” Here is the end and the eternal alternative of such blind and shallow thinking. “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone; which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8).
If you continue to mock, doubt, and not believe in Jesus Christ this will be your end! At death you will immediately realize that… “It is a fearful and terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God” and incur His judgment and wrath (Hebrews 10:31). “Of how much sorer punishment, suppose you, shall he be thought worthy, who has trodden underfoot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing and has done despite unto the Spirit of Grace? For we know Him that has said, Vengeance belongs unto me, I will recompense, says the Lord, and again, The Lord shall judge his people” (Hebrews 10:29,30).
Yes indeed, it TRULY IS A FEARFUL THING TO FALL INTO THE HANDS OF THE LIVING GOD! Therefore, turn to HIM who gives eternal life, and will fully forgive, as He is the unique one who paid all that you owed and yet He owed nothing. “I know how that you turned to God from Idols to serve the living and true God” (1 Thessalonians 1:9). One who has believed in Christ should walk daily in the light of scriptural truth and follow in the pathway of righteousness. However, it should be remembered that it is Christ who paid for all sins on the cross, and this blood payment is sufficient to remit every sin so that none are left as an unpaid debt. It is impossible to be saved by turning from sins for which He has already made full payment with His precious blood.
Turning to God for forgiveness and not from sins is the right entrance door into eternal life. When one turns to God and believes in Christ, God immediately imputes eternal life and provides the means and power for the believer to effectively live a consistent Christian life. Man turning from sin does not reduce the sins that were fully paid for at the cross. It was in a moment of time between 12 noon and 3 pm, that all sins crushed Him (Jesus) on the tree and were paid in full! It was there that He suffered, bled, died, and in a moment of time purchased our redemption. It is not, and can never be, that what we do in obedience during our daily lives can add to His perfect and finished work on the Cross.
The doctrine of eternal security is indeed inseparately related to the fundamental teachings concerning the intercessory gift of the unique and perfect Son of God. Look to the Son and not to self, you are the very one who needs His redemptive work. It is not what you are doing for God it is what he has already done for you. Eternal life is secured by looking away from self and to Him who is the author and finisher of our faith. Faith alone has no merit unless it is centered in Christ. “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).
The Son of God, God’s Greatest Gift
“The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell got hold upon me. I found trouble and sorrow. Then called I upon the name of the Lord. O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul. Gracious is the Lord and righteous yea, our God is merciful” (Psalm 116:3-5).
“Sirs, what must I do to be saved? Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).
“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).
“Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
“I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me” (John 14:6).
